Federal officials report that the CMS
has paid $30 million to Texas physicians in 2011 as part of its electronic health
record (EHR) incentive program. If you treat Medicare patients and
use a certified EHR in a “meaningful” way, you too can earn thousands of dollars
in incentives over the next few years.
In the first year of
participation, you must reach
$24,000 in Medicare allowable
Part B charges to be eligible
for the maximum incentive of
$18,000.
Participants also must achieve 90
days of meaningful use during
2011 to qualify. In subsequent years,
you must meet meaningful
use for the entire year.
Physicians who predominantly
furnish services in a health professional shortage area receive a 10-percent
increase in their annual EHR incentive payments.

As a physician, you can
earn up to $44,000 through 2016 under the Medicare program, but you must act soon to make
the most of this offer. Medicare incentives decrease for those who start in 2013 ($39,000 maximum) and 2014 ($24,000 maximum), and those who do not
reach meaningful use of an EHR face penalties in 2015 (1 percent), 2016
(2 percent), and 2017 (3 percent).

Next Steps

1) Select and adopt a certified EHR. Texas regional extension centers
will work with you to fully realize the benefits
of EHRs. As part of a federal grant, the annual
subscription fee for primary care physicians
is only $300. Visit www.texmed.org/rec to
learn more. 2) Participants must successfully demonstrate meaningful use
of a certified EHR. Visit www.texmed.
org/stimulus for in-depth and summary
versions of the criteria.